Selective single control mechanism



NOV,- 16, BARGER I SELECT IVE SINGLE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 23, 1945 Patented Nov. 16, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELECTIVE SINGLE CONTROL MECHANISM Fred H. Barger, Dayton, Ohio Application May 23, 1945, Serial No. 595,460

This invention relates to control mechanism and especially to switchboard, dashboard or panel controls of the type having a control knob, handle wheel or lever which is capable of selectively operating at least two different power or motion transmission mechanisms. The invention has for its general object to provide a simple and efficient mechanism in which the selective adjustment is performed by a small axial displacement of the control knob, wheel, handle or lever.

The invention essentially consists in a rocking or rotating central member associated with the control knob, handle or lever, capable of axial movement and provided with two coupling or clutch mechanisms, positively engaging and releasing, respectively, other axially fixed rocking or rotating members connected or coupled with the transmission of power or motion to be selected when moved axially in either direction. The central knob or handle operated member, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention may be held permanently in a position in which it is in operative or coupling engagement with one of the cooperating axially fixed members by means of a spring; in such a case when the knob, handle or lever is operated without axial pressure, one of the transmissions of motion or power is selected automatically while application of pressure during rotational or rocking movement causes selection of the other transmission.

The'invention is more specifically described in the following detailed specification and illus- 2 Claims. (01. 19248) mechanism is arrangedbehind a board 5 provided with a hole 1 through which the control knob 8 only projects. This knob, as shown in Figure 2, is, therefore, the sole member which is seen and accessible from the outside or front of the board.

Associated with the knob 8 is the central coupling member 9 which is loosely mounted on a shaft I0, journalled in a support [I at I2 and [3. The shaft may be provided with collars M for holding it against axial displacement.

Said shaft It may carry the pulley or disk for one of u the two transmissions of power or motion to be serviced by the dual control mechtated in the accompanying drawing showing one modification thereof. It is, however, to be understood that the fact that only one preferred embodiment of the invention is described is not to be understood in a limitative sense. This modification is clearly described in terms suggesting further modifications to the expert skilled in this art and such further modifications, as far as coming within the ambit of the annexed claims, are, therefore, not to be considered as departures from the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational partly sectional view of an arrangement embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational front view of the panel and knob.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views of details connected with the coupling,

It has been assumed that the selective dual control, as illustrated in the drawing, is applied to a radio receiver or transmitter, to the dashboard of a car or airplane or to any other control board of some kind, and that, therefore, the

anism.

For instance, if associated with a radio receiver the pulley l5 may drive the usual cord, belt or spiral spring cord operating the volume control, the back feed control, the potentiometer or condenser to be operated selectively.

The pulley i5 in the example shown is fixedly connected with the shaft by means of its hub portion l6 through which a screw H is passing.

The secondtransmission to be coupled selectively with the member 9 and knob 8 is loosely mounted on shaft Ill and is represented in the example shown by the spur wheel In; it is, however, to be understood that this showing is arbitrary and that any other transmitting means such as a pulley, disk or the like may be mounted in its place, as specific conditions may require.

The selective coupling of the two members l5 and I 8 with the knob 8 is obtained by means of the member. 9, which is mounted loosely on shaft l0 and is capable of axial displacement. This member 9 (Figures 1 and 4) is provided with two recesses I9, 20 which constitute female members provided with teeth as shown in Figure 4 or simply of polygonal or square shape. The

female member 9 cooperates with a male member 2| of corresponding shape (Figure 5) formed by a toothed wheel or polygonal or square disk, which is fixed on shaft [0 by means of screw 22.

The member 9 is urged toward the member 21 by a spring 23, which finds its support on the toothed wheel I8. The female part 20 of member 9 cooperates with a male member 24 projecting from the hub portion 25 of toothed wheel l8. The male member 24 is held out of engagement with female-member 20 by spring 23.

It will be clear from the above description that if knob 8 is turned without applying any axial pressure to it, the knob will turn member 9 and by means of female portion I9 and male portion 2| fixed on shaft III, the latter will be turned with the knob. The movement of the shaft will result in rotation of pulley l5 and in the actuation of the instrument or element operated thereby. It will also be clear that male portion 24 projecting from hub 25 of Wheel 18 is not affected by this rotation of knob 8 but remains at rest.

If knob 8 is rotated with axial pressure applied to it, the member 8 will be moved axially on shaft 10, the spring 23 will be compressed, the female portion it! will be disengaged from male portion 2i and the female portion 20 will engage male portion of disk 24. Therefore, the shaft it] wil remain at rest, while wheel [8 is turned.

It is quite obvious that the constructive details shOWn in the drawings may be changed and have to be changed in accordance with the special constructive purposes to be accomplished, but that this does not involve any change of a basic nature.

I claim:

l. A selective control mechanism for operating a plurality of motion transmitting members mounted behind a panel selectively by means of a single control member arranged in front of the panel, comprising a shaft mounted behind the panel provided with a portion projecting through the panel, motion transmitting members on said shaft, one of said members being mounted fixedly and one of said members being mounted loosely on said shaft, a coupling member fixed on the shaft portion projecting through said panel, an axially shiftable control member and a hand operated knob associated with the same loosely mounted on the portion of the shaft projecting through the panel between the aforementioned coupling member and the loosely mounted motion transmission member, means for effecting a rotational coupling formed on each side of said axially movable member and coupling means engageable therewith on said fixed coupling member and on said loosely mounted transmission member.

2. A selective control mechanism for operating a plurality of motion transmitting members mounted behind a panel selectively by means of a single control member arranged in front of the panel, comprising a shaft mounted behind the panel, having a portion projecting through said '4 panel, a coupling member fixed on the shaft portion projecting through the said panel, a motion transmitting member fixed on said shaft and another motion transmitting member loosely mounted on said shaft, both arranged behind the panel, the latter member being arranged at a distance from said coupling member, a hand operated control knob and an axially movable member connected with it, the former being arranged in front of the panel and both being slidably arranged on the projecting portion of the shaft, said axially movable member being moreover located between the two aforesaid motion transmitting members, female coupling members arranged in recesses, formed on both sides of said axially movable member, male coupling members adapted to enter said female coupling members alternatively upon movement of the axially movable member, arranged on said coupling member and on said loosely mounted motion transmission member respectively, and a compression spring between said loosely mounted motion transmission member and said axially movable member holding the female coupling part of said axially movable member out of engagement with the male member of the loosely mounted motion transmission member and the' female member on the slidable and axially movable member in engagement with the male member associated with the fixedly mounted coupling member.

FRED H. BARGER.

REFERENCES crrno The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 577,897 Walker Mar. 2, 1897 1,360,864 Archer Nov. 30, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 478,537 France Sept. 27, 191-5 491,628 Great Britain Sept. 6, 1938 

